Cooling device for vapor electric apparatus.



WITNESSES P. H. THOMAS.

000mm DEVICE FOR vuon ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27. 1912.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 11 i I T R ama" 0 P. H. THOMAS.

COOLING DEVICE FOR VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27. 1912.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES I, I I

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

PERCY H. THOMAS, OF UPPER MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB 10 COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPOBA'HEON OF NEW JERSEY.

' COOLING DEVICE FOR VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed larch 28, 1904, Serial No. 200,284. Divided and this application filed April- 27, 1912. Serial NO. 693,564.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LPERCY H. THOMAS, a citizen of'the United States, and resident of Upper Montclair, county of Essex, State of New J ersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cooling Devices for Vapor Electric Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

In the operation of gas or vapor electric apparatus it is often desirable toproduce a local cooling of some portions of the apparatus for various purposes. It may be desired, for example, to run the disintegrating negative electrode in apparatus of this class comparatively cool so as to keep down the development of vapor from the electrode to comparatively low limits. Moreover, either in combination with such means for cooling the negative electrode, or independently thereof,- it may be desired to produce local cooling in the vapor bath whereby an excess of vapor in the light-giving portion of the apparatus is prevented. This latter tune tlon of cooling means applied to a vapor apparatus may become especially valuable in vapor lamps wherein a mixture of gases or vapors is employed, one or more being condensable and the other or others being comparatively non condensable. In such cases a portion of the apparatus may be cooled 'so as to keep down the excess of condensable vapor, but in practice, where such cooling is done at a portion of the apparatus .remote from the light-giving portion of any excess of condensable gas which has escaped from the cooling means. into the light-giving portion will gradually accumulate and'by reason of the high temperature of this portion of the apparatus may not be readily condensed. Under such circumstances a return path may be provided for the excess of vapor, but this is found to be somewhat cumbersome, and it is generally preferred that other means for condensing the vapor should be employed, such, for example, as means for local artificial condensation. The

. local condensation might be accomplished be absorbed in passing through the walls of the jacket and the fluid therein.

It is a part of the present invention to secure the benefits of artificial cooling without the disadvantage due to a return tube or an externalwater jacket, at the same time providing ready means for dissipating the heat accumulated in the gas path in a simple and convement manner.

A still further object of the invention is that of insuring thatevery portion of the light-giving vapor should be able to deliver up its heat by reason of the fact that an intimate contact is provided between the vapor and the cooling means.

I accomplish these results by providing in the interior of the chamber of the apparatus, throughout the whole or a portion of the light-giving path,-an inner tube sealed off from the main vacuum chamber and containing a suitable heat conducting fluid, such as alcohol, ether, water, or other suitable material. When an apparatus is constructed embodying the features above described and in the manner herein illustrated, the cooling means may be maintained at a constant temperature regardless of atmospheric variations.

By employing within the inner tube a liquid having a definite boilingpoint and determining the gas pressure upon its sur- Patented Sept. 15, 1914..

face and by PIOV'ldlHg an independent conliquid.

' In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows an apparatus in which the cooling means are applied internally along the greater portion of the vapor column; and Fig. 2 shows a similar apparatus in which the negative electrode itself as well as a port on 0 ence-of the cooling means.

the vapor is subjected to the influ- Referring to the first figure of the drawings, 1 is a container of glass or other suitable material and 2 and 3 are, respectively, the positive and negative electrodes of the apparatus, the same being connected with lead-wires, 4 and 5. In this instance the negative electrode 3 may be assumed to be of mercury and the positive electrode 2 of iron or other suitable solid material. Through the major portion of the container is run a tube, 6, which is sealed off from the container 1 at the point 7. This tube 6 is provided with a condensing chamber, 8, and is partially filled with alcohol, ether, water, or some other suitable material. The liquid in the tube 6 will have a definite boiling point depending upon the gas pressure upon its surface, which pressure can be predetermined before sealing off the condensing chamber 8.

The vapor developed in the operation of the apparatus, considered as a whole, will, under the conditions described, be mercury vapor, but we may assume that some other gas or vapor, such as nitrogen, or carbonic acid gas, is introduced in definite quantity into the container 1 so as to affect in a desirable manner the total spectrum given out by the apparatus when current is passed through it. Under these conditions, it is generally desirable to cut down the amount of mercury vapor in the light-giving portion of the apparatus, owing to the tendency of such vapors to be developed in excess. The liquid-containing tube 6 serves this purpose, while by reason of its location it does not notably absorb thelight-energy of the apparatus, whereby the eificiency of the same is maintained practically undiminished. The liquid in the tube 6 having been brought to a state of boiling, the vapors arising from it ascend in the chamber -8 and are there condensed and fall back again to replenish the liquid.

Manifestly, the cooling means thus described are independent of atmospheric con- 'tions or-variations. By properly proportioning the, parts, the excess of mercury vapor can be kept down to appropriate limits so that the apparatus as a whole will produce a predetermined spectrum. The same would apply to other condensable vapors besides mercury vapor, and the conditions would not be essentially altered by substi-.

tuting for the nitrogen or carbonic acid gas any other suitable gas whose spectrum contained the desirable rays. Practically the whole of the vapor in the light-giving portion of the tube is subjected in the form of apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1 to the effects of the cooling means.

In Fig. 2, the container is again shown at 1, the positive electrode at 2, the negative electrode at 3, and the lead-wires at 4 and 5. ere, however, the tube 6 does not extend electrode itself and that by so doing it exposes the latter to cooling influences and also constricts the surface of mercury which is exposed to evaporation. The mercury vapor, however, as soon as it is liberated, is at once exposed to the influence of cooling means and thereby the tendency to excessive development of vapor is prevented. 'Under these conditions the mercury electrode mi ht run comparatively cool, a condition whlch under some circumstances is desirable.

This application is a division of my application filed March 28th, 1904:, Serial Number 200,284, and a companion to my ap lication filed June 14th, 1904, Serial Num er 212,47 5, which also is a division of my application of March 28th, 1904.

I claim as my invention 1. In a vapor electric lamp characterized by an exhausted container and suitable electrodes, one being a vaporizable cathode, the method of operation which consists in providing supplemental cooling surface for cooling the cathode as distinguished from the surface of the container and providing an intermediate medium or heat conductor for transferring heat from the cathode t0 the supplemental surface. I

2. In a vacuum vapor electric apparatus adapted to produce light, the method of controlling the spectrum of emitted light which consists in passing electric current through the apparatus by the production of vapor therein, character to supplement the spectrum of the vapor, but insuificient in quantity to balance the total q'uantitylof vapor naturally produced and removing the natural excess wherein the vapor is produced at a. temperature below the normaltemperature and corresponding-to the pressure of the vapor when not in excess. I p

3. In a vapor electric apparatus, thecombination with a vaporizable electrode adapted to develop under natural conditions an excess of condensable as'or vapor, and a relatively non-condensa means for preventin the development of an excess of condensab e gas or vapor, such means consisting of a cooling device entering the vaporizable electrode, and permit-.

ting the natural temperature in the light 125 givin portion. J

4. n a va or electric apparatus, the combination wit a disintegrating electrode capable of developing under natural conditions an excess of condensable' gas or vapor, 180

adding a permanent gas adapted in i of vapor by maintaining the general region 1c gas or vapor, of

and a relatively non -condensable gas or vapor, of means for condensing the excess immediately upon the liberation of the condensable gas or vapor, such means consisting of a coolin device in close proximity to the surface 0 the said electrode.

5. In a vapor electric apparatus, the com bination with a disintegrating electrode capable of developing under natural conditions an excess of condensable gas or vapor and a relatively noncondensable gas or vapor, of means for condensing the excess immediately upon the liberation of the condensable gas or vapor, such means consisting of a tube in intimate relation with the condensable gas or vapor, and containing a suitable liquid.

6. In a vapor electric lamp characterized by an exhausted container, a suitable anode and a suitable cathode therein, the method of operation which consists in providing supplemental cooling surface for cooling the cathode as distinguished from the surface of the container and providing an intermediate medium or heat conductor for transferring heat from the cathode to the supplemental surface.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 26th day of April A. D. 1912.

PERCY H. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

WM. H. CAPEL, THOS. H. BROWN. 

